immo!nvest – Die Plattform für Standorte und Immobilien

Tag: Geschäftsjahr

  • Energy crisis 2022 leaves its mark on the financial year

    Energy crisis 2022 leaves its mark on the financial year

    Region Energie Solothurn also felt the consequences of the 2022 energy crisis in 2023. According to a press release, the regional supplier posted a loss of CHF 760,374. It blames this on record-high purchase prices, which have a delayed effect until 2024. It has not passed these on to customers in full.

    Gas sales to business and small customers fell by 4.6 per cent to 334 gigawatt hours in 2022. Sales to large customers even fell by 19.4 per cent to 394 gigawatt hours. Regio Energie Solothurn refers to the measures taken by the federal government, under which the industry was required to switch from gas to oil.

    Electricity sales increased by 11.1 per cent to 130 gigawatt hours. The company points out that it has also been supplying the municipalities of Lommiswil SO and Nennigkofen SO since January 2023. On the other hand, the grid levy has fallen because more solar power is being produced for the company’s own consumption instead of being fed into the grid.

    Regio Energie has also completed the biogas pipeline between Utzenstorf BE and Gerlafingen SO. This means that the planned biogas plants in Utzenstorf can be realised.

  • Sika generates record sales

    Sika generates record sales

    Sika generated record sales of 11.24 billion Swiss francs in the 2023 financial year, the global speciality chemicals company for construction and industry announced in a press release. This corresponds to year-on-year growth of 7.1 per cent. In the press release, Sika emphasises the former construction chemicals business of the BASF Group acquired in the previous year as a growth driver. Due to the successful integration of the MBCC Group, Sika anticipates annual synergy effects totalling 180 to 200 million Swiss francs.

    All regions also contributed to the record sales with double-digit growth rates in local currencies. At 15.2 per cent, sales in local currencies grew most strongly in the Asia/Pacific region. In the EMEA and Americas regions, growth rates of 14.8% and 14.9% respectively were realised. The Global Business segment increased its sales in local currencies by 10.0 per cent. Strong devaluations of almost all currencies against the Swiss franc resulted in a negative currency effect of 7.4 per cent.

    “Sika has once again demonstrated its resilience over the past twelve months,” said Thomas Hasler, CEO, in the press release. “Thanks to our well-functioning business model, high innovative strength and the great commitment of our 33,000 employees worldwide, we have grown strongly and gained market share even in a challenging year.” Sika will communicate the full report for the financial year 2923 on 16 February.

  • Real estate fund from Swiss Life Asset Managers generates stable income

    Real estate fund from Swiss Life Asset Managers generates stable income

    The Swiss Life REF (CH) ESG Swiss Properties real estate fund closed the first half of the 2022/23 financial year “with low vacancy rates and stable income”, Swiss Life Asset Managers announced in a statement. Specifically, income of CHF 20.26 million was realised. In addition, there was a capital gain of CHF 3.81 million from the sale of a residential portfolio consisting of five smaller apartment buildings. The rent default rate was reduced from 2.97 to 1.76 per cent compared to the end of March 2022.

    The net asset value rose year-on-year from 112.01 francs to 114.34 francs. The fund currently holds 161 properties with a total value of 2.562 billion francs. At the end of 2022, Swiss Life Asset Managers had acquired 15 properties with a total market value of CHF 242 million.

    Since the fund’s launch in November 2015, Swiss Life REF (CH) ESG Swiss Properties has posted an annualised performance of 6.04%. This means that the price performance and distributions are 2.01 percentage points above the SXI Real Estate Funds TR benchmark index, explains the asset manager, which is part of the Swiss Life Group.

  • Window manufacturer 4B achieves highest net sales in its history

    Window manufacturer 4B achieves highest net sales in its history

    The window and façade manufacturer 4B, headquartered in Hochdorf, achieved the highest net sales in its company history in the 2022 business year. Despite a slightly lower order volume of 191 million Swiss francs, the traditional company was able to increase net sales by 14.7 per cent to 204.2 million Swiss francs, according to a media release.

    According to the statement, 4B’s supply chains proved to be “pleasingly crisis-resistant” even in times of an “extremely difficult geopolitical situation” due to the Ukraine war. The reason for this is the company’s focus on suppliers from Switzerland and nearby European countries.

    This ensured a high level of supply security, prevented production stoppages and “positively mastered the 2022 business year”, CEO Jean-Marc Devaud is quoted as saying. He did not provide any information on profits.

    Furthermore, the company invested more in 2022. Thus, investment activities increased by 45.5 per cent to 4.8 million Swiss francs. By commissioning new equipment, it was able to reduce the time it takes to produce an order by more than two days.

    It also reportedly made progress in the areas of digitalisation and automation. Instead of paper folders, employees now use iPads on construction sites. This allows them to organise building inspections more efficiently. Quotations for window renovations can also be calculated more quickly and easily during the first consultation.

    In addition, the company moved into its eleventh location in 2022. It is located in Wallisellen ZH. At the end of 2022, 4B employed 703 people in Switzerland.

  • Profit increase of over 6% at Swiss Prime Site

    Profit increase of over 6% at Swiss Prime Site

    The key figures for 2022 are characterized by two factors: on the one hand, the Akara Group from Zug was included in the scope of consolidation for the first time with the closing on January 10, 2022, and on the other hand, the consolidated financial statements for 2022 were prepared in accordance with the IFRS accounting standard and the previous year's figures were adjusted accordingly.

    Interest rate turnaround heralded, but resistant Swiss real estate market
     In the year to date, the Swiss economy has continued on its growth course, despite geopolitical challenges, supply chain problems and rising prices. With an increase of 105,000 jobs in the service sector over the past 12 months and a record 114,000 vacancies, the outlook for the economy remains positive. The key interest rate increase by the Swiss National Bank (SNB) by 50 basis points in June 2022 is intended to prevent inflation, which is also increasing in Switzerland, from spreading to goods and services across the board. Inflation here is still below that in the European markets. Despite the further interest rate hikes announced by the SNB for 2022, we are still in a negative real interest rate environment. This favors real value investments such as real estate. Accordingly, we have only seen isolated reactions in the real estate market so far. First-class locations continue to be in demand by tenants and investors.

    Increase in operating income and good rental income
     The positive business development of the Swiss Prime Site Group is reflected in the increase in operating income by 2.5% to CHF 378.9 million. All group companies contributed to this. In the first half of 2022, we were able to newly let or re-let an area of over 102,000 m2 [47,000 m2] in our own real estate portfolio. This often happened on better terms and led to an increase in rental income to CHF 214.2 million (+1.9% on a comparable basis). The vacancy rate was reduced to 4.4% [4.7%]. The WAULT is still 5.5 years [5.6 years]. The rental successes more than compensated for the rent of CHF 3.3 million from the modernization project on Müllerstrasse in Zurich, which was still included in the first half of 2021, as well as the absence of the sale of properties as part of our capital recycling strategy. This involved a portfolio with seven properties, which was sold to the newly launched “Swiss Prime Site Solutions Investment Fund Commercial”, as well as two other properties in St. Gallen. This resulted in a pre-tax profit of CHF 14.7 million. Sales profits will increase significantly again in the second half of 2022 due to real estate sales already signed in the amount of more than CHF 165 million (including house B “Espace Tourbillon” in Plan-les-Ouates).

    Further details: sps.swiss/en/media/media-releases

  • Helvetia real estate fund shows good results

    Helvetia real estate fund shows good results

    The Helvetia (CH) Swiss Property Fund posted an overall profit of CHF 24.2 million in the first regular financial year, which ended on September 30, informs Helvetia Asset Management AG in a message . The overall success consisted of net income of CHF 12.8 million and an appreciation of the portfolio. The return on investment was 5.5 percent.

    The fund, which is mainly made up of residential properties, was "largely spared the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic", explains the Helvetia Group's investment manager. The rent default rate was reduced to 2.5 percent in the course of the year. The report puts the rental income at CHF 22.2 million.

    In the course of the financial year, the fund gained 18.9 percent in over-the-counter trading, the press release explains. This means that the SXI Real Estate Funds Broad TR, which is relevant for listed Swiss real estate funds, was exceeded with its performance of 15.3 percent. The market value of the properties rose by 2.3 percent or around 12.2 million francs year-on-year.

    Helvetia Asset Management intends to further expand its real estate portfolio in the current financial year. To this end, a capital increase of around CHF 200 million is planned for the end of March. The fund should also be listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange in three years at the latest.